In a moment that calls for more than incremental change, this session brings together philanthropic leaders and a social entrepreneur to explore how catalytic capital can help reimagine systems—and unlock solutions that last. Together, we’ll examine the unique role philanthropy can play in absorbing risk, backing early ideas, and enabling market-based approaches to scale impact where it’s needed most.
Designed for changemakers across the philanthropic sector, this discussion offers insights into how philanthropic capital can move beyond charity toward enduring, systemic change.
You’ll leave with insights into how philanthropy can:
• Absorb early risk and unlock follow-on capital from other investors.
• Build, test, and validate solutions to today’s most urgent challenges—before they’re ready for scale.
• Support social enterprises that challenge entrenched systems and create lasting impact for low-income communities.
Shalane Yuen
Shalane Yuen is a global social impact leader and Founding Managing Director of the Trevor Noah Foundation, where she has raised over $15 million and built partnerships with organizations including USAID, Microsoft, and the Young African Leaders Initiative to expand equitable access to quality education across Africa. She is an Office Hours Advisor for the Obama Foundation Leaders Africa Cohorts (2024–2026) and an Assistant Adjunct Professor at NYU Wagner, teaching philanthropy, systems change, and social impact strategy. Shalane holds an MPA from NYU Wagner and bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Sociology from UC San Diego.
Ann MacDougall
Ann MacDougall is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Dunollie Fund, a family group that makes grants and impact investments. Dunollie is the seed funder for ten “public voices” fellowship cohorts and also makes investments in a range of double and triple bottom line companies and funds. Ann serves on public, private and non-profit boards as well as advisory bodies including those of the World Resources Organization, Equality Now and the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative. After a long career as a lawyer, including as General Counsel of PricewaterhouseCoopers US, she became COO of Acumen, a global venture capital fund, and then served as President of Encore.org (now Co-Generate), which is focused on second acts for the greater good.
Denis Karema
Denis Karema is the CEO of SokoFresh. SokoFresh is transforming Agriculture in East Africa by solving two key blockers to farmer prosperity, keeping produce fresh and consistent offtake with timely payments. The company leverages its digital market access solution, coupled with mobile, solar-powered cold storages with a 5MT capacity that enables aggregation of perishable fruits and vegetables. The service enables bulking of produce and quality management at farm level, thus unlocking higher incomes and drastic reduction in post-harvest losses. Prior to SokoFresh, Denis has worked as a Venture Builder at Enviu, Growth Catalyst at GrowthAfrica and Spring Accelerator among other roles. He holds a Bsc. Computer Science and MBA -International Business Management.
Nick Tedesco
Nick Tedesco is the president and CEO of the National Center for Family Philanthropy, where he brings more than a decade of experience partnering with donors and their families to achieve their giving goals. Previously, Nick served as a senior advisor in the J.P. Morgan Philanthropy Centre and as a relationship manager at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he helped launch the Giving Pledge. Nick was named in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s 40 Under 40 list, the Nonprofit Times Power & Influence List, and as Best Guide to Family Philanthropy by Inside Philanthropy. He is a graduate of Villanova University and resides in Washington, DC.
